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Am I autistic, or is autism something I suffer from? Should I come out, to my friends, to my family, to the people I work with? Should I drop the mask? How can I explain my experience to a neurotypical world?The Subtle Spectrum offers an exploration into the postdiagnostic landscape of autism and the transformative journey of one woman, from her awareness of difference, through acceptance, to an embracing of autistic identity and beyond as she questions the cultural identity of autism.Joanna's narrative is enriched with insights from a range of diverse contributors, creating a reflective opportunity for people to gain a better understanding of the experience of being autistic. With a focus on relationships built across a neurodiverse divide, the book considers topics as broad as mental health, work opportunities and abuse, weaving theory and research with lived experience to give true insight into the life of an autistic person, both pre- and post- diagnosis.Written with a raw and engaging honesty, this is a crucial read for anybody who identifies as autistic as an adult or teenager, or anyone looking to support somebody exploring diagnosis. It will also provide an invaluable insight for social workers, educators and relationships counsellors working with autistic people.
List of contents
Introduction Mapping Experiences of Being a Diagnosed Autistic: More of a Doodle than an Ordinance Survey Map Travelling from Autism Awareness to Autistic Identity Fragments of Difference Reflections on Difference Fragments of Awareness Moving Between Difference and Awareness Diagnosis The Report Blog Part One: The First Weeks after Diagnosis Reflecting on the Impact of Diagnosis on my Identity Blog Part Two: The First Months after Diagnosis Reflection Blog Part Three: Half a Year after Diagnosis Reflection: History Repeating Love Across a Neurodiverse Divide Reflection: Interoception Emotional Connection Pregnancy Special Interests Reflection: Recognising the Impossibility of Change was Crucial To be Identified is Our Pride Bibliography
Report
This wise and compassionate book provides a roadmap toward what author Jo Grace wonderfully calls 'a small private place, unseen by the outside world, a hidden gem' -- to personal acceptance of oneself as autistic, and the discovery of autistic community, in a world built for non-autistic people. It's engaging and uplifting reading for anyone on the spectrum, and for readers who want to comprehend the nature of autistic experience.
Steve Silberman, author, NeuroTribes: The Legacy of Autism and the Future of Neurodiversity
Grace writes with candour and intensity and this book supports those currently looking to claim an autistic identity as a definition of self, 'like a handrail you grab when trying to stand unaided'.
It will also be of value to those working with adolescents and adults with a diagnosis of autism.
Mary Mountstephen, SEN Magazine
